28th February 2024 Daily Current Affairs
National & International Appointments
1. Daljit Singh Chaudhary appointed as new director general of NSG
- Daljit Singh Chaudhary (1990 batch IPS officer), who is currently the DG of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), has been given the additional charge of heading the NSG.
- NSG is India’s counter terrorism force, trained to deal with specific situations and used only in exceptional circumstances as deemed by the government.
- NSG was founded on 16 October 1984, following Operation Blue Star, to combat terrorist activities and protect states against internal disturbances.
National & International Appointments
2. Former SC judge Khanwilkar is new Lokpal chairperson
- The President of India has appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice AM Khanwilkar as the Chairperson of the Lok Pal.
- Justice Lingappa Swamy, Justice Sanjay Yadav and Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi are the judicial members.
- The Lokpal has jurisdiction over central government to inquire into allegations of corruption against its public functionaries including the PM, cabinet ministers, members of parliament, Group A officers of the CG and for matters connecting them.
National Affairs
3. PM Modi to unveil Deendayal Upadhyaya statue in Maharashtra
- PM Narendra Modi will visit Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district where he will address one lakh members of women’s self-help groups.
- He will disburse Rs 825 crore funds for women’s self-help groups in Maharashtra.
- He will also inaugurate a statue of Bharatiya Jana Sangh co-founder Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
- He will also launch the Modi Awaas Gharkul Yojana for OBC category beneficiaries in Maharashtra.
International Affairs
4. Amazon Web Services Collaborates with T-Hub and Minfy
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) India announced its launch of an accelerator programme for space startups called AWS Space Accelerator: India.
- It is a technical, business, and mentorship opportunity designed to foster startups focused on space technology, and accelerate their development, with support from T-Hub and Minfy.
- This initiative follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between AWS, ISRO, and IN-SPACe in September the previous year.
Important Dates
5. National Science Day 2024: February 28
- National Science Day is celebrated across India on February 28 to honor the discovery of the Raman Effect by physicist Sir CV Raman in 1928.
- This year’s theme, “Indigenous Technologies for Viksit Bharat,” highlights the importance of homegrown innovations and scientific progress in India.
- The day aims to promote scientific temper, inspire youth towards careers in science, and celebrate India’s rich scientific heritage.
Banking & Finance
6. HDFC Bank Raises $300 Million through Inaugural Sustainable Finance Bond
- HDFC Bank has raised $300 million in its maiden sustainable finance bond issue.
- The country’s biggest private lender by market capitalisation priced its three-year sustainability bond at a yield of 5.196%.
- This is 95 basis points (bps) over the 3-year U.S. Treasury yield, sharply lower than the initial guidance of a 125-bps spread.
- The money raised is part of the $750 million bond-raise that will be listed on the GIFT City.